In Cardiff I went on a tour of Millenium Stadium. It was my own perosnal tour as no one else had booked on the 1pm tour with me. This was pretty good because the guy didnt have to just read from a script, he could actually tell me things and I could ask lots of questions about the stadium. First he ran me through the history of when Cardiff Arms park was first built then onto how it was torn down and Millenium Stadium was then built.
Next we walk through some corridors that lead into the away team change rooms. They were massive. About 3 times the size of the lords change rooms. There was a big painting of a dragon and eagle, this was there to scare away the demons of the away change rooms as the first 11 soccer games at the stadium the team in the away rooms lost. The day after an artist brought s ome crazy dragon and eagle into the change room the the away team won, he then painted the painting.
I saw the area where they are interviewed after games before walking the tunnel out onto the stadium. They have some fake crowd nosie but it was still pine tingling walking out into the stadium with the roof shut and all that noise. They were re-laying the grass, so it was good to see how that is done. Every square of turf is number so when it is removed it goes back in the exact same place. The have also played cricket, motor cross and had an indoor wind surfing event in the stadium.
Then I climbed the stairs and we went into the corporate areas. Each room has curtains that have to be shut as there is still a rule that you cannot consume alcohol in front of a football(soccer) game. You can leave the curtains when the rugby is on.
Then I sat in the chair that the queen sat on in her one visit there. They have this board in front of the chairs so that people in the closer seats cant turn around and see up her dress. I suggest that this is more for their protection than the queens.
